The new Commissioner of Tonga Police, Geoff Turner was officially sworn into office yesterday, 12 May, at the Tonga Police Headquarters, in Nuku'alofa.
The oath was officiated by Chief Magistrate Loupua Pahulu-Kuli in the presence of Deputy Commissioners of Police, Sokopeti Faletau, Tevita Vailea, and 'Atunaisa Taumoepeau, and the Chief Legal Officer.
Commissioner Geoff Turner has replaced Commissioner Shane McLennan, who retired this month.
Geoff Turner recently served as a Commander with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in Canberra, Australia.
He has extensive experience in policing, including operations related to drug and organized crime.
From 1995 to 1998, Cmdr. Turner was seconded to the New South Wales Police Force as a Detective in the joint Vietnamese Drug and Gang Squad. In 1998, he undertook close personal protection duties on the Israeli Consul Generals Team in Sydney before deploying to Cyprus and then East Timor (now Timor Leste) with the United Nations.
He returned to Australia in 2002 and was promoted to Detective Sergeant where he rewrote the recruit training syllabus at the Police College. Following further investigative roles in the Serious and Organised Crime Branch and then Program Manager for Police Recruit Training from 2006-2008, He deployed once again to Timor Leste as a homicide detective with the United Nations Police, and in 2010 as a detective inspector, he deployed to Afghanistan as part of AFP's Operation Illuminate.
In 2012 he returned to Australia and undertook a leading investigative role as a Detective Superintendent as part of the AFP's money laundering task force. In 2015, he transferred to AFP intelligence where he established the convergence and targeting teams, until once again deploying to Tenor Leste in 2017 as the Contingent Commander working with the Policia Nacional de Timor Leste until May 2020. In 2021, he was promoted to Commander and was seconded to the New South Wales Crime Commission as the acting Assistant Commissioner of Crime.
On his return to the AFP, he undertook duties as the Commander of Specialist Operations, a role that encompassed numerous capabilities including Search and Rescue, Canine Operations and Tactical Operations.
He has degrees in Business (Marketing and Public Relations) and Policing (Investigations), and Master's degrees, in business and management, and a second in anti-money laundering and counter terrorism finance.
